Residents across the Peace Region are being asked to keep an eye out for invasive plants as the Peace River Regional District (PRRD) works to protect local farmland and native ecosystems.
The regional district is encouraging landowners, farmers and outdoor enthusiasts to report invasive weed sightings early, saying public participation can help stop new infestations before they become established.
PRRD Vice-Chair Leonard Hiebert said invasive species management has long been a priority for the regional district, even if it does not always receive widespread attention.
“It’s very important for our residents to make sure that they have… especially the grain producers, livestock producers that deal with forage to make sure that any invasive plant is taken care of before it becomes a really big problem,” Hiebert said.
“The importance of having the public put it in is it gives you more sets of eyes on what we are seeing as invasive plants coming in.”
The regional district is monitoring several high-priority invasive plants, including burdock, comfrey, common tansy, green foxtail, orange hawkweed, Russian thistle, spotted knapweed and yellow knapweed.
Officials said the non-native species can quickly spread if left unmanaged, crowding out native vegetation, damaging grazing land and creating economic challenges for livestock and grain producers.
“They can basically take over what native plants we have here and basically destroy what we currently have,” Hiebert explained, noting that he carries an identification guide right on his keychain while out in the pasture.
Hiebert said managing invasive plants requires cooperation from everyone, including private landowners and all levels of government.
While he said many residents do their part to control invasive weeds on their own properties, coordinating efforts across jurisdictions remains an ongoing challenge.
“The struggle that sometimes comes in is not necessarily the people dealing after their private properties,” Hiebert noted.
“It’s the other levels of government that we’re trying to work together and collaborate to make sure that when we do see an invasive plant, everybody’s on the same page working forward.”
To help detect new infestations, the PRRD is encouraging residents to report invasive plants using the provincial Report Invasives BC mobile app or by submitting a weed report through the regional district’s website.
Staff are also available by phone to help identify unfamiliar plants and provide guidance on appropriate control methods.
